The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-22

will prove the ending Of all wars-wars which
had some of the elements of chivalry century
ago. but have become hideous since chemistry
has taken q hand in them
The two men who discovered the principles OF
melinite are Captains Locard and Hirondart,
who are attached to the gun factory at Bourges
been promoted to the rank of major and NJ. Hi
rondart has been decorated. Major Locard is
regarded as a savant of the first rank. Scarcely
any of his time is given to the routine OF mill
tary service, but he devOtes himself constantly
to the technical studies of the service. He is
more of chemist and inventor than soldier.
His latest discovery in connection with Captain
Hirondart. is this destructive powder, which has
been christened melinite because in color it re-
sembles honey, (miel.
Following the first experiments with the sub
stance. which were made at La Fere, works for
testing the invention have been pushed actively
at Bourges Three small forts have been con-
structed to try the effect of the new shells
been finished several days. look somewhat like
truncated pyramids. Two are of concrete and
pebbles, and the third which is the largest, is of
asphalt and silex It is II meters (about 80
feet) high, and cost 81, ,0oOf (about 81. .4OO The
other two cost, together 46. 000f., or about &c.
200. It is predicted that the melinite will de-
stroy these works, soldlybuilt as they are, OF
extra-hard materials, in less time than it takes
to write it. Daily experiments have been made
a small scale, and their result has been SO
satisfactory that wagon&oads of materials for
manufacturing the new explosive are arriving at
Bourges daily. Ether is one of the principal
ingredients of the powder, and, as the produc-
tion of this is only about 100000 Kilograms, an
nually, in France Minister Boulanger has his
agents out buying ether wherever they can ind
it, and some has been purchased in Germany
for the manufacture of the shells, which are ex-
pected to be some day used against the forces OF
that empire
To launch the shells charged with melnite no
special design of mortar Is required. General
Boulanger has decided on the immediate manu-
facture of 2l0 600 melinite proiectiles which will
be ready by spring, but the shells are to be made
at Lyons and Rive de Gier, instead of Bourges.
When they are ready for charging they viii be
transported to Bourges. and there the melinite
will be introduced. Boulanger explains his &C
tion in this matter by stating that the govern
ment has workshops at Lyons all ready for pro-
ducing the shells, and that he will save 500. GOO
francs by having them made there. The melin-
ite is being manufactured at BOurges as fast as
possible under the supervision of its discoverers.
The destructive power of the new explosive is
reported to be one hundred times that of ordin.
ary gunpowder, and ten times that of nitro
on the roof of building bursts and
skaters everything in its immediate
vicinity The melinite shell is intended to strike
the ground at the foundations Of the building,
and once there it explodes and shoots everything
into the air, reducing beams and joists to an al
most impalpable powder
In the meantime. while the manufacture OF
this terrible explosive is going o. it's inventors
are experimenting with new rifle powder
which explodes without making any smoke, and
which will enable a body of infantry to fire on
| the enemy from cover without betrayng their
| position by clouds of smoke The chemists are
| developing into wholesale slaughterers of men
| and when the time comes. as it apparently viii
| come, that general by blowing a whistle Cal
annihilate 100000 of the enemy. covering
| line of several leagues. the theory Of universe
peace founded on wholesale massacre at a cis
| tance, will be pretty nearly demonstrated.